Anant Chaturdashi Pooja
Worship of Lord Vishnu as Anant (The Infinite)
Materials Required
- Idol or Picture of Lord Anant (Vishnu)
- Anant Sutra (Thread with 14 knots)
- Durva Grass & Flowers
- Panchamrit (Milk, Curd, Ghee, Honey, Sugar)
- Fruits & Sweets (Gharga/Fried sweets)
- Incense Sticks & Ghee Lamp
- Turmeric & Kumkum
- Kalash with Water
- Betel leaves & nuts
Step-by-Step Procedure
Preparation of Anant Sutra
Take a cotton thread, fold it to make it 14-ply if possible, or just tie 14 knots at intervals. Color it with turmeric and kumkum.
Kalash Sthapana & Invocation
Place the Kalash. Place the Anant Sutra on a betel leaf or cucumber. Invoke Lord Anant into the Sutra and the Idol.
Worship (Shodashopachara)
Offer water, sandalwood paste, flowers, incense, and lamp to Lord Anant. Offer the Anant Sutra specifically with mantras.
Offerings (Naivedyam)
Offer special sweets (often fried wheat flour sweets) and fruits to the Lord.
Anant Katha
Listen to the story of Kaundinya and Sushila, which highlights the importance of the Anant Vrat.
Tying the Sutra
Tie the Anant Sutra on the right arm (for men) or left arm (for women) while chanting the mantra. Keep it for 14 days or until next year.
Anant Mantra
"Ananta Samsara Maha Samudre
Magnan Samabhyuddhara Vasudeva
Ananta Rupe Viniyojaya Tat
Ananta Sutraya Namo Namaste"
Meaning: O Vasudeva, save us who are drowning in this great ocean of endless worldly existence. I bow to the Anant Sutra, which connects us to the Infinite Form.